Various types of downhole drilling tools including, but not limited to, rotary drill bits, reamers, core bits, and other downhole tools have been used to form wellbores in associated downhole formations. Examples of such rotary drill bits include, but are not limited to, fixed cutter drill bits, drag bits, PDC drill bits, and matrix drill bits associated with forming oil and gas wells extending through one or more downhole formations.
Various techniques and procedures have been used to stabilize such downhole drilling tools and improve their drilling performance. See for example: Brett J. F, Warren T. M. and Behr S. M., “Bit Whirl: A new Theory of PDC bit Failure”, SPE 19571, October, 1989; Warren T. M, Brett J. F. and Sinor L. A., “Development of a Whirl—Resistant Bit”, SPE Drilling Engineering, 5 (1990) 267-274; Weaver G. E., Clayton R., “A New PDC Cutting Structure Improves Bit Stabilization and Extends Application into Harder Rock Types”, SPE/IADC 25734, 1993; Besson A., et al., “On the Cutting Edge”, Oilfield Review, Autumn, 2000, p 36-57; and TransFormation Bits, ReedHycalog, 2004.
Prior techniques for forming drill bits comprised laying all cutters in one spiral direction of bit rotation. In most prior methods all cutters were disposed in a spiral direction following bit rotation. Other prior methods attempted to lay cutters on drill bits in a direction opposite to bit rotation. However, the latter attempts generated large torque forces on bits so formed and resulted in slower and inefficient drilling. Prior techniques used to force balance fixed cutter rotary drill bits and other downhole drilling tools often assume that all cutting elements are engaged with a generally uniform downhole formation. Various computer programs and computer models are available to simulate drilling a wellbore based at least in part on such an assumption.